Protected terminal-clamping device.



A. H. ACKBRMANN.

PROTECTED TERMINAL GLAMPING DEVICE.

APPLIUATION rum: MAY 2, 1910.

1,059,326. Patented Apr. 15, 1913.

' Jiczi. .zz

f lZ534 9 UNITED STA$aiijENT ()FFICE.

ALEXANDER HENRY ACKERMANN,. OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO THE UNITED STATES LIGHT 1&1 HEATING COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORA- TION 0F MAINE.

. PROTECTED, TERMINAL-GLAMIING DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 15, 1913.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALEXANDER HENRY ACKERMANN, a citizen of the United. States, residing at Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Protected Terminal-Olamping Devices, of Whichthe followin is a full, clear, concise, and exact descriptlon, reference being bad to the accompanying drawing, forming a part of this specification.

My invention relates to interfitting storage battery terminals and to the devices for clamping the terminals firmly together, having for its object the provision of means for protecting the clamping devices from the deleterious efl'ect of the acid fumes.

Where the storage battery is made up of a number of'individual cells, it often happens, particularly in a case Where batteries are to be used in connection with a vehicle, that the individual cells have to be connected or disconnected, the connection always being made ,in a predetermined manner to insure a series connection. In order to prevent mistakes being made in connecting up the "cells, the projecting lead strap or terminal representing one pole of the battery, has thereon a projection or boss, while the other terminal has a complementary recess. The projection on one terminal will fit the recess in the proper, terminal of an ad jacent cell and no other. The interfitting members are clamped firmly together to insure good electrical contact.

The improved clampingmeans may take any one of a number of suitable forms and is shown in the accompanying drawing as a screw-threaded stud of brass or other good conducting material of considerable strength slaving, preferably, conducting nuts of brass nd Washers of antimonious lead on each end. In order to protect the brass or other metal of good conductivity from the corroding action of the acidfumes and spray, protecting caps of metal unaffected by the acid, are provided for each nut, which caps have screw-threaded engagement therewith and, in conjunction with the lead terminals themselves, completely inclose the brass nuts.

Referring to one of the many practical embodiments of the invention as shown in the accompanying drawiiigsz-Figure 1 is a central section of the improved clamping means. Fig. 9 is an end view of the preferred form of terminal. Fig. 3 shows in perspective, the threaded stud, washer, nut and cap. Fig. 4 is a modified form of connecting nut. Fig. 5 is a section of a modi fied form of interfitting terminal. Fig.6 is an end view thereof.

In the preferred form, the terminals 1, 2, have interfitting portions consisting of a circular recess 3 and a boss 4. A screw-threaded stud 5, having on its ends washers ,6 and nuts 7, serves to maintain the parts in clamped relation. The-stud and nuts are made of metal of considerable strength and of good conductivity, such as brass, and in order to protect said metal from the corroding effects of acid fumes, a cap 8,-of lead, antimonious lead, or other suitable material is provided for each end of the stud and completely incloscs the parts which would otherwise be exposed.

Each nut 7 has an external screw-threaded portion 9, and a reduced portion 10 of angular section, having faccswhich may be easily engaged by a wrench. The nuts are of greater diameter than the adjacent washers 6, 6, the result being that when the parts are assembled as in'Fig. 1, an annular recess -11 is formed. This recess may be filled with threaded portion 12, and a plurality of rooves 13, with which a wrench may read- 1ly co-act for tightening the not on the stud. WVith this form there is used an ordinary nut which acts as a lock nut. This lock nut being of smaller diameter than the clamping nut, does not interfere with the uscof a protecting cap similar to 8 in Fig. 3.

In Figs. 5 and (5 is shown a modification of the form of interlitting terminals shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The recess 14 'is square and the complementary boss 15 is also square. It is of course obvious that these inter-fitting portions may be of any suitable outline, and that either the preferred form of nut 7, or the form shown in Fig. 4, may

be used with either form of interfitting terminal. l

When the parts are assembled as in Fig. 1, it will be apparent that not only is good electrical contact made between. the terminals, but that the entire exterionsurfac'e is of lead or equivalent material which protects.

" and the modifications included are simply suggestive of the many changes which may be made within the scope of the invention, and are not inserted by way of limitation.

Having described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is 1. In an acid proof battery terminal connection, in combination, battery terminals having interfitting portions, a conducting stud passing therethrough,. a clampingnut on each end of said stud, and removable protecting'caps of acid proof material in closing said-nuts and the ends of said conducting stud, said caps being provided with fiat faces adjacent the battery terminals, whereby a close fit-may be provided between each cap and its respective terminal andinjurious grooving of'the terminals avoided.

2. In an acid proof battery terminal connection, in combination, battery terminals having interfitting portions, a conducting stud passing therethrough, a clamping de- 7 vlce on each end of said stud, and a removable protecting cap of acid proof material screw-threaded upon each of said clamping devices, said caps being formed of soft metal and being provided w th-flat faces adjacent the battery terminals, whereby a close fit maybe provided between the caps and teri 45 minals and injurious groovinglof'theterniinals avoided. v

' 3. In combination, battery terminals having interfitting portions, a conducting stud passing through said portions, a conducting washer and nut on each end'of said .stud, said washers being ofsmaller diameter than the adjacent portions of said 'nuts,'whereby, an annular groove isformed when the parts, are assembled in clamped relation, said nuts having an externally screw-threaded portion, protecting caps of acid-proof material removably secured to said screw-threaded portion and a fill ng of oily material insaid annular groove, v t

4. In a battery terminal connect1on,'1n

combination, lead terminal members having studinterfitting contact faces, a conductin and conducting nuts thereon for e ecting good mechanical and electrical contact between said faces, and washers of antim nious lead between said nuts and the correspondingterminal members.

In witness whereof, I

, have hereunto s b scribed my name in the presence of two witnesses. I I

ALEXANDER'HENRY ACKERMANN. I

Witnesses: I

W. P. HAWLEY,

Geo. MUELLER, 

